"I don’t try to muscle my way through it anymore"
Claire Tak joins Cave of the Heart and answers 5 questions on self-trust
Welcome to Cave of the Heart, an interview series where writers trust-fall into the depths of inner-knowing, creativity, and the craft of writing. Are you ready to get curious about the cultivation of self-trust, give a warm nod to our child selves, and celebrate inspiration in all forms? Come with us into the cave of the heart.
Q: Where are you answering the Cave of the Heart questions today?
A: I’m sitting at my desk with my giant monitor connected to my Macbook Air.
1. Childhood
Q: Were you a chatterbox as a child, or were you quiet or something else entirely? When you spoke up or expressed a preference, what sort of response did you get?
A: I was a mix—somewhat loud and rambunctious at home with my parents, but quieter and more shy in school. I was a mama’s girl and couldn’t wait for her to come home from work. My mom was always supportive and attentive, so whenever I spoke up or expressed my opinions, she listened.
2. Influences
Q: How do you recognize when someone or something is a positive influence on your writing process and self-trust? What changes inside you and on the page?
A: When I can tell I’m getting better at writing or feel excited about a certain scene or chapter because of a writing group or a new writing friend I’ve made. That’s when I can tell it is a positive force and influence. Honestly, it’s the best feeling and one of the things I love most about working on my memoir.
When I started writing my memoir more than a year ago, I never thought I would meet so many wonderful people through writing groups, conferences, and events. The more I experience this, the more I know I was meant to write my story. It’s a cycle—I learn and grow as a writer, which then fuels motivation to get my book done. In the end, I’m creating an interesting story that will (hopefully) provide a lot of meaning and value for the reader.
3. Creative Spark
Q: What was the last creative spark that you were really excited about, but it ultimately fizzled out? What do you do when something doesn’t come to life like you’d imagined?
A: Oh gosh. Probably podcasting. I’m still excited about it. The only reason it fizzled is because I have too much on my plate right now. With my freelance writing work, my book, writing classes, and my Substacks, I just don’t have the time to get this podcasting thing off the ground like I had hoped.
Whenever this happens, I definitely feel disappointed, but I try not to beat myself up over it like I did before. At some point, I know I will get back to it, and that’s what I tell myself. Then, I let it go.
4. Writing Process
Q: What does your writing life look like today, and can you compare/contrast it to 10 years ago?
A: I take my time and don’t try to muscle my way through it anymore. A decade ago, I would force myself to get an entire article done for work. Then, I’d feel completely frazzled at the end of the day.
My writing process has evolved tremendously over the years. I don’t look at editing as such a chore anymore. Instead, I see it as a way to explore new ideas and angles. I take long breaks in between my writing so I can go back and look at it with a fresh perspective.
I don’t feel married to certain paragraphs and have no problems deleting entire chunks if they aren’t working. I constantly ask myself, “What am I trying to say here?” Today, all of these things are like second nature to me.
Also, I commit to classes so I can continue learning and evolving as a writer. To me, there will never be a “pinnacle” because I will never stop growing.
5. Resources
Q: What’s one surprising or unlikely resource that you turn to again and again to bolster your writing life?
A: Writing groups and classes! I can’t believe how much I’ve learned in just the last year by reading other people’s work and getting critiqued. I got really lucky and found incredible teachers and writing buddies. Compared to when I first started writing my book, I understand how to create structure, plot, dialogue, and all of the technical aspects of writing a book that I felt were impossible to grasp.
Beyond learning about how to craft my story, forming connections with other writers helps me stay motivated. As they say, writing is a solo endeavor and can be lonely. Finding a community of writers and amazing teachers has changed my life.
Chime in! Yes, you!
The concept of community and feedback is evident in Claire's writing journey. Do you believe in the importance of a creative community, and if so, how has it helped you connect with a deeper sense of self trust?
Want to connect with Claire today? She’ll be around in the comments section!
Thanks Claire and Amanda, such a pleasure to read you two together! I appreciate your insights, Claire. I'm finding myself drawn more and more to memoir. I'm enjoying reading other peoples', and I'm starting to leak bits of myself into my stories. On some level though, I'm afraid to write something called memoir. It feels like a story I only get to tell once, so I have to get it right the first time. I hope you can tell me I'm wrong!
Thanks for this great interview Claire. I love how you talk about being in a group with other writers and the benefit of critique and community. I appreciate the connections I've found here on Substack and have made some great friends but I have never (yet) taken a writing course or joined a specific community. Did it come to you organically or did you search out where it would be best for you to land?